MMA Preview – Neil Magny vs Geoff Neal at UFC Vegas 26
NEIL MAGNY VS GEOFF NEAL FACTS
When is UFC Vegas 26? Sunday 9th May, 2021 - 01:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC Vegas 26? UFC APEX, Enterprise, Nevada (US)
Where can I get tickets for UFC Vegas 26? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC events
What channel is UFC Vegas 26 on? BT Sport 1
Where can I stream UFC Vegas 26? BT Sport subscribers can stream the fight online via the BT Sport website
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
NEIL MAGNY VS GEOFF NEAL LOWDOWN
After getting knocked out and failing a drug test that kept Neil Magny (24-8) out for 16 months, he returned last year and made sure nobody had forgotten about him racking up three super impressive unanimous decisions against Li Jingliang, Rocco Martin and former champion Robbie Lawler. However, his resurgence took a hit when he met Michael Chiesa on Fight Island. He went into the fight as the favourite but got out grappled for three rounds to lose a unanimous decision.
Geoff Neal (13-3) is also coming off a loss stifling his momentum. He quickly became the bogeyman in the division after bulldozing through his first five UFC opponents. After flatlining Frank Camacho with a head kick, outpointing Belal Muhammd and then knocking out Niko Price and Mike Perry, everyone was avoiding him. Apart from Stephen Thompson who put on a technical clinic and outpointed Neal on the feet to earn a unanimous decision.
NEIL MAGNY VS GEOFF NEAL PREDICTION
What a cracker of a fight this will be as both welterweights look to climb back up the rankings. Magny only loses to elite grapplers and knockout artists. Neal is not going to go for a flying triangle any time soon but he is a monster of a striker with devastating power in all limbs so we can expect him to hunt the knockout.
Although Magny has been mauled by the likes Chiesa, Rafael dos Anjos and Demian Maia, he is a top grappler himself and we can expect him to call upon his clinch and wrestling here. He will boast a familiar five-inch reach advantage and he will look to utilise it with his jab and tie his arms around Neal in the clinch.
Magny can win this fight by closing the distance, tying Neal up in the clinch and dragging him to the floor controlling the rounds. However, Neal’s power could be the game-changer here, if he can explode out of Neal’s body-lock and maintain the distance, he can catch Magny with one of his bombs.
Neal has decent wrestling himself but if he can use it to keep the fight on the feet, we back him to land power leg kicks, jabs and ultimately the killer blow, but he will have to start strong as Magny’s cardio can take the fight away from him in the later rounds. As Magny is the underdog, he is the smart money, but we are leaning towards a vintage Neal knockout.
Prediction: Neal via KO/TKO - CLICK HERE FOR PARIMATCH'S WELCOME OFFER (BET £5, GET £30 IN BONUSES!)
Value Bet: Magny via Decision
